Drakon

coronet retrieval

[♘a l i s t a i r   s e l w y n♘]  

"Now, son, I want you to listen closely." My mother looked into my eyes, a serious expression on her face.  Since my apparent death, I had been trained- or as I preferred to call it, babysat- by various royal adults. Who were dead too, by the way.  Creepy, no?

Another thing about the place I was "training" in had been burnt down years ago, when I could only toddle around and try not to fall on my face.  Talk about history lessons and haunted castles. Thankfully, my mom had taken over Project Babysit Alistair for now, so I wasn't subject to fierce bear hugs from Clara, Gavin and Kia's mother, and physical torture sessions from Gael, their father.

Did I mention it was all in my mind?

I was starting to miss sparring with (and beating the hell out of) Torship, one of the knights back at Lukar.  Half of me felt sorry for him, as he was stuck with Felix, who also happened to be my biological father. Who also killed me.  

I feel the love.

My mother and I were currently in one of the guest bedrooms, with mother on the loveseat with a frown on her face.  "What now, mother?" I groaned, flopping onto the bed, spread-eagled. I had just finished ten laps around the massive castle, and boy was I exhausted.

"When you attempt to leave this place, someone will try to stop you."

Like who? Her? I made a face.  "Seriously?"

"Yup." Mother twisted her fingers, and I heard a rustle out of nowhere.  "She will be sneaky." I felt something wind around my leg, and I looked down, only to see nothing.  "She is a brilliant fighter- trust me, I've seen her in action." The same thing slithered up my leg, and I shook it, only to feel it tighten.  "In order to beat her and return to the living, you must outwit her." She flicked her wrist, and I was catapulted off the couch and onto the floor.  I didn't even have time to yelp!

"Ow!" I grumbled, my face squished against the cold marble floor.  Mother cackled hysterically, instantly revealing that she was the culprit.  "Did you really have to do that?"

"Just preparing you for the future, sweetie." She smirked, emerald eyes twinkling with mirth.  I rolled my eyes, peeling myself off the floor like a banana.

Clara peeked in, an eyebrow raised.  "Do I even want to know what-" She stared at me, her violet eyes piercing into my very soul.  I felt a presence in my mind. She grinned.  "Oh. Good job, Alanna." I smacked my head against a pillow.

"You have a visitor, by the way." Gael stepped into the doorway, suppressing a smile.  "You have five seconds to prepare."

"Wha-"

"-t in Terrande?" A feminine voice screamed.  I shrieked, rolling to the side and off the bed onto the marble floor.  I could've sworn I heard my head go bang on the floor.

Once again, I was forced to peel myself off the floor.  I flung one arm up onto the bed, hoping to grab onto something useful to haul myself up-

"HANDS OFF!"

I was roughly pushed off, falling back onto the floor with an oomph.  Gael roared with laughter, just as the figure on the bed sat up.  It was Kia, who had her arms crossed over her chest, and was shooting me a killer glare.  Gael sniggered. "Try not to accidentally grope my daughter while you're at it, yeah?"